Piece of Jewelry

ABSTRACT

A piece of jewelry for the neck, arm, finger or ear, with an outer body as its first part, and an inner body randomly rotatable against the outer body, and fitting inside the outer body, as the second part. The inner body can be separated from the outer body without the use of tools, and may be connected to the outer body without the use of tools. A socket of the inner body formed as a slice of a hollow sphere, the inner body forming a joint head as a slice of a sphere, with two diametrically opposite depressions at the socket, extending from one edge of the socket to an area of the socket having a great circle. A width of the depressions is greater than a height of the joint head, and the interval of the depressions is greater than the outer diameter of the joint head.

The invention is derived from a piece of jewelry for neck, arm, finger or ear and consists of at least two parts which can be rotated in any direction relative to each other.

From a technical viewpoint, for necklaces, armbands or earrings there are pendants which consist of at least two pieces rotatable relative to each other. The disadvantage with these well-known pendants is that both parts are joined to each other with axle stubs, ball bearings, bush bearings and anti-friction bearings so that a simple separation of the two parts is impossible. In particular the wearer of the jewelry cannot separate the two pieces without using tools and swap them for other parts. This places limits on design possibilities and flexibility of the jewelry.

The invention is prompted by the task of producing a piece of jewelry with an outer and inner body, whereby the outer body and the inner body can be separated without tools, in order to swap out the inner and outer bodies, and whereby the outer body and inner body do not become separated spontaneously while being worn.

This task is accomplished by a piece of jewelry with the characteristics of Claim no. 1. The outer body is outfitted with a socket holding the inner body and having the form of a slice of a hollow sphere. The inner body is outfitted with a region forming a joint head, whereby the region has the form of a spherical slice. The socket and the joint head form a connection in the manner of a spherical joint. This connection enables a rotation of the inner body in the outer body around any desired axis. Both the socket and the joint head consist not of a full sphere but rather of segments of a sphere which form a spherical slice. Both the spherical slice of the socket and the spherical slice of the joint head contain at least a great circle of the associated sphere. The radius of the hollow sphere associated with the socket is slightly larger than the radius of the sphere associated with the joint head. Thus, on the one hand, any desired rotation is made possible, and on the other hand any unintended separation of the outer and inner bodies is prevented.

Two depressions are provided on the socket. They extend from the one edge of the socket in the same direction to a great circle of the socket. They are diametrically arranged to each other on the socket. The width of the depressions which are measured along the edge of the socket is greater than the height of the spherical slice of the joint head. The interval of the depressions is larger than the diameter of the joint head. With this diameter we are dealing with the largest outer diameter of the joint head. Both depressions form an indentation of the socket. Thanks to this indentation, the inner body together with its joint head can be pushed into the socket of the outer body, and be withddrawn from it again. The size and orientation of the depressions are given so that the insertion and extraction of the inner body is only possible when the position of the inner body is very specific relative to the outer body. It is preferable in this case for the joint head to be positioned vertically with respect to the socket.

When placing the inner body into the outer body, the inner body is oriented so that the joint head can be inserted into the depressions of the socket. If the joint head is completely inserted, the joint head is turned in the socket. Thus any axis and any direction of rotation is possible. While being rotated the joint head of the inner body is so oriented that it is no longer positioned in the depressions of the socket. In this position of the inner body relative to the outer body, the inner body can no longer become separated from the outer one.

To separate the inner body from the outer body, the inner body is rotated until the joint head is aligned in the depressions of the socket. In this position the inner body can be withdrawn from the outer body.

After both bodies are separated, the inner body can be swapped out for another inner body. Moreover the inner body can be inserted into a different outer body. By swapping the two bodies, other possibilities for configuring the jewelry will result.

After advantageously configuring the invention, the socket exhibits two round openings. One of the two openings forms the edge of the socket, from where the two depressions extend outward. Through this opening the inner body is inserted into the outer body. The two round openings can be formed identically or differently with regard to their radius.

The circumference of the socket is determined by the radius of the associated hollow sphere and by the height of the spherical slice of the socket. The circumference of the joint head is determined by the radius of the associated sphere and the height of the spherical slice. The height of the spherical slice of the socket can be identical or smaller than the height of the joint head. Whether the joint head basically extends over the socket is dependent on its height.

The interval between the two depressions is at least 0.1% greater than the greatest external diameter of the joint head. As for the depression, depending on the form of the curved outer side of the inner body, it may be a groove, a recess, a furrow, or a hollow. The width of the depressions is at least 0.1% greater than the height of the spherical slice of the joint head.

Since the two depressions in the socket do not extend from one edge of the socket to the other end of the socket, a part of the curvature of the socket forms a stop for the joint head of the inner body. If the inner body is inserted as far as this stop into the outer body, it can be rotated in any way desired against the other body.

The inner body is held in the outer body due to the curvature of the socket and joint head. Both the joint head and the socket have on the edge of their respective spherical slices a radius which is smaller than the radius of the associated sphere. Between the two edges there is an area with a great circle of the sphere. Thus the radius of the socket and the joint head tapers to each of the two edges.

No tools are necessary to separate or join together the inner and outer bodies. Moreover no great strength is needed nor is any special skill applied. The piece of jewelry consists merely of an inner and an outer body. Additional parts are not necessary to hold the inner body within the outer body. They can however be applied to the composition of the jewelry on the inner or outer body. In particular the facing surface areas on the inner sider of the opening of the outer body and the outer sider of the inner body are free of protrusions extending above them, such as stub shafts, pins or bolts, for example.

The inner body can be formed any way desired except for the joint head. The joint head can for example be part of a massive disk or a hollowed-out one. Moreover any geometically shaped bodies, such as squares, spheres, polygons, star-shaped or heart-shaped objects can be aligned in the segment. The inner body may consist of one piece or several pieces connected firmly together. In order for the rotation of the inner body within the outer one not to be restricted, the diameter of the segments of the inner body is advantageously smaller than the diameter of the joint head. Both bodies of the piece of jewelry can also be worn separately from each other.

According to an advantageous configuration of the invention, an eyelet is directly or indirectly attached on the outer body to allow the threading of a chain, a string, a band or a hoop. In addition to this or in place of it, the outer body or a part attached to the outer body can be furnished with a hole for threading a chain, string, band or hoop. In this way the piece of jewelry can be worn as a pendant on a necklace, armband or earring.

According to another advantageous configuration of the invention, an earpin is directly or indirectly attached to the outer body. In this way the piece of jewelry can be worn as a stud earring.

According to an advantageous configuration of the invention, the two depressions exhibit a parallel progression with parallel transitions bordering the depressions on the side from the edge of the socket to the area with the greatest inner diameter of the socket. This feature of the depressions enables a simple insertion and separation of the inner and outer bodies. Moreover the length of the depressions in this case is smaller than it is with a slope of depressions with respect to the levels of the diameter.

According to another advantageous configuration of the invention, the inner and outer bodies can be produced, for example, from gold, silver, platinum, palladium, stainless steel, titanium, plastic, ceramic, wood or glass. In particular the inner and outer bodies may consist of different materials. Furthermore the inner and outer bodies can be furnished with pearls or gems, for example precious stones or diamonds. When doing so, care must be taken that the gems do not rest on the surfaces of the socket and joint head, so as not to restrict the rotation of the two bodies. The other sizes and dimensions of the two bodies can be selected at random. The outer body, except for the socket, can be formed in any way. It should however be guaranteed that no segments of the outer body extend into the socket, nor hinder the insertion or rotation of the inner body. Furthermore any configuration not placed over the joint head can be attached to the outer side of the innter body. This can for example be engravings, surface coatings or gems sunk into the surface.

At the socket of the outer body, the depressions form an open space extending as far as the area of the greatest inner diameter of the socket. This space is barely recognizable by looking at the outer side of the outer body, or may not be recognizable at all. Since the spaces extend to one of the two edges or angles of the sockets, they can merely be observed in assembled jewelry by inspecting the corresponding corner edge.

After an advantageous configuration of the invention the transition between the depressions and the rest of the upper surface on the inner side of the opening of the outer body is formed without corner edges. This enables a particularly simple insertion of the inner body into the outer one, without the need for corner edges. Moreover damages to the corner edges are avoided.

After another advantageous configuration of the invention, the two depressions can be formed into the shape of a funnel, so that the width of the depressions at the corner edge or at the edge of the socket of the outer body is greater than in the area with the greatest inner diameter of the socket. This facilitates the attachment of the inner body to the outer one. Furthermore the width of the depressions from the corner edge or edge of the socket up to the area with the greatest inner diameter of the socket can be identical.

Other advantages and advantageous configurations of the invention may be found in the claims, the sketch and the description which follows.

FIGURE

In the figure an example of the design of the piece of jewelry invented is depicted. The following are shown:

FIG. 1 Perspective representation of a piece of jewelry from the front, with inner and outer bodies aligned identically,

FIG. 2 Piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 as viewed from the front.

FIG. 3 Piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 as viewed from the side.

FIG. 4 Piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 with perspective representation from the rear.

FIG. 5 Piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 with view from the rear.

FIG. 6 Piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 with a view from the side.

FIG. 7 Outer body of the piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 with perspective representation from the front.

FIG. 8 Outer body of the piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 with view from the front.

FIG. 9 Inner body of the piece of jewelry as in FIG. 1 with view from the front.

DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE FIGURES

In FIGS. 1 through 9 are sample figuress of a piece of jewelry represented in various viewings. They depict a pendant for neck or ear jewelry. The piece of jewelry consists of an inner body 1 and an outer body 2. The outer body consists of two rings 3 and 4, one being inserted into the other. The connection of the two rings 3 and 4 is form-fitting, so that they cannot readily be separated from each other. On the inner ring 3 an eyelet 11 is attached to enable the piece of jewelry to be hung on a chain. The two rings 3 and 4 encompass a 9020 , angle between their surfaces. The inner ring 3 exhibits an opening 5 which takes in inner body 2. The opening is bordered by two round edges or corners 6 and 7. The section between the two corners, together with the actual corners, forms a socket 8 of outer body 2. The socket has the form of a slice of a hollow sphere and is curved outwardly. The curvature extends thereby in the direction away from the inner body. This is recognizable in FIGS. 3 and 6. Moreover the outer body 2 is furnished on socket 8 with two depressions 9 and 10. Both depressions 9 and 10 are identically formed and lie diametrically opposite each other, so as to exhibit the greatest possible distance from each other. The distance as an angle in regard to the full circle of the outer body amounts to 180°. The depressions are recognizable in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8.

The inner body 1 is formed as a disk. In the middle a gem 12 is attached, which is viewable from front and back. The joint head 15 facing the outer body exhibits the greatest outer diameter of the inner body. The segment is bordered by two parallel circles 13 and 14 with identical radius. The joint head 15 of inner body 1 defined by these two circles has the form of a spherical slice and outwardly curves corresponding to the curvature of the socket of outer body 2. The outer and inner bodies are countered against each other. The play between outer body 2 and inner body 1 as in the sample sketches amounts to ca. 5%. The radii of socket 8 of outer body 2 and joint head 15 of inner body 1 are thus nearly identical.

The curvature of joint head 15 of inner body 1 and the curvature of socket 8 of outer body 2 is recognizable in the cross-sections depicted in FIGS. 3 and 6.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show the piece of jewelry with inner body 1 and outer body 2 when joined together. In all six depictions both bodies are aligned identically. In FIGS. 7 and 8 outer body 2 is represented without the inner body. In FIG. 9 the inner body 1 is represented without the outer body.

The inner body 1 and the outer body 2 can be configured in any way desired, except for joint head 15 of inner body 1 and socket 8 of outer body 2. Both curved sides 8 and 15 can exhibit engravings or gems or diamonds sunk into the surface which do not protrude above the surface and thus do not hinder the rotation of inner body 1 within outer body 2.

All characteristics of the invention can be essential to the invention both individually and also in any combination with each other. 

1. A piece of jewelry for neck, arm, finger or ear comprising: an outer body as the first part and an inner body randomly rotatable against the outer body and fitted within the outer body as the second part, and which can be separated from the outer body without using tools and attached to the outer body without using tools, with a socket encompassing the inner body and having the form of a slice of a hollow sphere, with an area of the inner body forming a joint head whereby the area exhibits the form of a spherical slice, with two diametrically opposite depressions on the socket which extend from one edge of the socket to an area of the socket exhibiting a great circle, with the width of the depressions being greater than the height of the spherical slice of the joint head, and with the interval of the depressions being greater than the outer diameter of the joint head.
 2. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the inner body is interchangeable by another inner body with an identically shaped joint head.
 3. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the height of the spherical slice of the socket is smaller than the height of the spherical slice of the joint head.
 4. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the socket exhibits two round openings.
 5. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the joint head is inserted as a single piece with at least one additional segment of the inner body.
 6. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the inner body is a circular disk.
 7. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the outer body is a ring or at least two rings put together.
 8. A piece of jewelry as in claim 7, wherein concentrically to a first ring on the outer side facing away from the inner body, another body surrounding the ring is attached.
 9. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein an eyelet is directly or indirectly attached onto the outer body for threading a chain, string, band or hoop.
 10. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the outer body exhibits a hole for threading a chain, string, band or hoop.
 11. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein an earpin is directly or indirectly attached to the outer body.
 12. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the depressions exhibit a curvature.
 13. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the bottom of the depressions exhibits a flat, even contour.
 14. A piece of jewelry as in claim 1, wherein the depressions are formed in the shape of a funnel. 